


Synapse

by yookihyunnieX



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, I'm gonna have all kinds of fun plot twists, M/M, coffee shop au meets superhero au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2020-06-23 19:16:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19707742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yookihyunnieX/pseuds/yookihyunnieX
Summary: Kihyun is working as a barista, just trying to make it by as he builds his photography portfolio. He's an ordinary guy in a world of Supers (who he kinda actually hates). He's got big crush on his favorite customer, who introduces Kihyun to a world of adventures he's never known. And Kihyun has to decide what he values most: maintaining his integrity, protecting his city, or the relationships he's built. Welcome to Newton.





	1. The Java Spot

If Kihyun was given one more frappuccino order, he was going to scream. Or, at least ask for a minute so he could cuss in the break room. Sunday nights were always busy at The Java Spot because Newton was a college town, and their coffee shop was just outside the main campus  _ and _ one of the main training centers for Supers. So, needless to say, it was a pretty busy cafe. And making a million frappuccinos made it even more hectic.

_ Freakin' kids and their froo froo frappuccinos _ . What happened to drinking coffee for the caffeine? For the bitter reality of a miserable existence where you have to rely on liquid energy to continue pushing onward?

And then, a solace. Kihyun looked up to his next customer and sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank god," Kihyun said. "If I had to hear another 19-year-old say they wanted a 'frappe', I was gonna lose it."

"I'm not 19, but I can change my order," Shownu replied, smirking. 

He came into The Spot almost every night and stayed for hours, usually until closing time. He had a usual order and had accumulated a bunch of points on Fivestars, earning him plenty of free drinks.

Shownu seemed a simple guy, and Kihyun enjoyed speaking with him during slow hours. Kihyun respected his casual aesthetic, like he wasn't trying too hard to fit anyone's standards. It was a nice change compared to the college-aged kids with their name brands and perfect hair, or the Supers stopping by after visiting the gym, showing off their toned muscles or doing a fancy trick with their powers.

Shownu was different.

Today, for example, he was wearing dark jeans and a white crew neck t-shirt in a French tuck. He was without his thick-rimmed glasses he typically wore. A black duffle bag was strapped across his body; the bag itself rested at his hip with a small keychain of Ryan the Kakao Friend on the zipper.

Easy. Casual. Authentic.

"If you don't order your usual, my image of you will be shattered," Kihyun teased. "If you order a frappuccino, it'll be irredeemable."

Shownu laughed in response. He was so charming. "Alright then," he agreed, "I'll take my usual. 16 ounce."

"One 16 ounce Iced Americano coming right up," Kihyun said, offering his sweetest smile. He swiveled the iPad for Shownu to complete his payment. He always tipped 20% and tapped his phone on the Square Reader, lips slightly parted in concentration. 

"Would you like anything for your girl?" Kihyun chimed as he turned the steam knob.

Shownu adjusted the strap over his shoulder and looked to the ground. 

"What do you think, Princess?"

Princess was the most well-behaved dog Kihyun had ever met. She was a fawn colored French Bulldog with adorable perky ears. 

She offered a light bark in response to Shownu's question, but Kihyun had only ever seen her bark when she was interacting with Shownu. It was never over the top, and she didn't pay any mind to the other dogs in the café.

"I think that's a yes," Shownu chuckled.

"Great," Kihyun grinned, centering the decanter. "I'll bring it right out."

Shownu turned to pick a table, the one thing that varied when he visited. Princess was right on his heels, dark pink leash gone slack.

Kihyun leaned down to grab a small paper cup from beneath the counter. He tossed in a few dog treats from a jar down there and topped it with whipped cream.

Kihyun finished up Shownu's drink, letting it brew, then filling his glass with ice and pouring in the filtered water. He poured in the shot of espresso and gave it a delicate stir, crema forming a marshmallow cloud.  _ Perfection. _

He turned to his co-worker, Jooheon, who had swapped with him to take orders. The line was finally starting to die down. 

"Jooheon, you good?" Kihyun asked.

Jooheon swiveled the iPad for the next customer to complete her transaction. There was only one after her.

"I'm good," he replied with a thumbs up. "One chai tea. I'll take care of it."

He was a relatively new employee, but he was a quick learner with a strong work ethic. Kihyun nodded and grabbed the two cups for Shownu and Princess.

"Alright, I won't be long."

"Take your time," Jooheon said with a wink. He knew Kihyun had a thing for Shownu. They'd talked about it one day during a slow period. 

Kihyun was training him on the espresso machine and Jooheon happened to ask if they had any usual customers. He began listing off some of their typical guests: Tasha who ordered the red berry compote tea with a hint of honey, Barbara with her breve latte, Grams who ordered an iced mango and dragon fruit drink with a splash of lemonade, and, of course, Shownu with his Iced Americano. 

Kihyun hadn't even realized he was smiling, but Jooheon called him out on it. 

_ “Who's Shownu?” _ he had asked. Kihyun felt his cheeks flush and then, with a little more prodding by Jooheon, he gushed about him. 

So now, Jooheon had an alternative agenda at work: to provide Kihyun as many one-on-one interactions with Shownu as possible. Kihyun couldn't complain. It had earned him a date with Shownu. Tomorrow, actually.

Kihyun had worked it out to have his “weekends” be Mondays and Tuesdays. With their increased conversations (with Jooheon’s leniency, and Shownu’s late nights at The Java Spot), Shownu had discovered this. He had also, apparently, discovered that Kihyun might be worth taking on a date. Kihyun’s only request was that it wasn’t a coffee date, and Shownu chuckled in response.

_ “Dinner, then _ ,” he had said. Kihyun beamed.

The past few days had flown by, and now this  _ one _ last shift was keeping them from their date.

Kihyun set the Iced Americano on the wooden table. “Here ya go,” he chimed. Then, he kneeled down to Princess. “And here’s your Puppy Cup.”

Princess moved her face to Kihyun’s hand, asking to be pet. Kihyun loved dogs, and Princess won him over long ago. He gave her a good scratch behind the ear.

“Still on for tomorrow?” Shownu asked him.

“Yeah,” Kihyun chimed, sounding excited, but hopefully not  _ too _ excited. “I’d never turn down pasta.” He stood back up and dusted off his hand on his apron.

“And I thought you said yes to go with  _ me _ .” Shownu’s smile was sweet and small and crooked.

“You’re a bonus feature,” Kihyun said with a smile and a shrug before turning to head back to the counter. “I’ll meet you there,” he confirmed over his shoulder.

\--

When Monday came, it was late afternoon and Kihyun couldn’t make up his mind on what to wear. Shownu had only ever seen him in his uniform of a white collared shirt and black apron. Shownu was a simple guy, but it was a  _ date _ , so he wanted to dress to impress without overdoing it. Yet he wanted to show his own artistic side. This was ridiculous.

“Minhyuk!” Kihyun called. “Get in here and help me!” He settled his cardigan over his shoulders. “Please!” he added as an afterthought.

After a while, his roommate sauntered into his bedroom, a bag of chips in hand and gaming headphones hooked around his neck.

“Oh, you  _ definitely _ need help,” Minhyuk smirked. With his frazzled hair and black t-shirt decorated with chip crumbs, you couldn’t tell it now, but Minhyuk had a great sense of style. On the days that he changed out of his sweatpants. He’d been on a bit of a lazy streak lately, mostly just playing Overwatch when he was off work. 

Minhyuk worked mornings delivering newspapers at the ass crack of dawn. He usually went to bed early so he’d be able to wake up when it was still dark, then he rode his bike around Newton and burn whatever energy he had. It made sense that he wanted to lounge around in the afternoons.

Minhyuk reached into the bag of chips and shoveled a handful into his mouth. Still chewing, he garbled, “That cardigan makes it look like you belong in a box of crayons.”

Kihyun quite liked that cardigan. It was mostly a bright cobalt blue with some sunshine yellow, fuschia, and thin white stripes to make it plaid. It was warm and cheery, which he thought helped compensate for his reserved and cynical personality. Maybe it  _ was _ too bright for a first date, though.

“Alright, so what do you recommend?” Kihyun huffed, pulling off the cardigan. 

“Tone it down, but classy it up. Look like you’re going on a  _ date _ , not to preschool for a book reading.” His roommate made his way to Kihyun’s closet, humming the Battlestar Galactica Cylon Song as he browsed through his options.

“Here we go, this’ll do it. Put this on over your shirt.”

Kihyun reached for the hanger and pulled the collared shirt over his white tee. He occasionally wore this when he had a photo featured in local art galleries and it was one of his favorites for semi-dressy occasions. 

“I should’ve just grabbed this to begin with,” he sighed.

“Yeah, it looks good on you,” Minhyuk agreed. “The color is light and subtle, and it’s a good contrast to your dark hair.” 

Kihyun shuffled to stand in front of the mirror in his room, buttoning his shirt. The white and sky blue thin vertical stripes helped his torso look more elongated, which was definitely an added benefit. 

“Thanks for the help, Min.”

His roommate nodded and turned to head back into the living room. “You better do a French tuck!” he hollered as he tossed himself on their couch.

Kihyun rolled his eyes, but shoved the front of his shirt into his pants because he knew Minhyuk was right.

\--

Kihyun waited for Shownu outside the restaurant, both because he was early and because he’d already checked in for their reservation. Their table was ready whenever Shownu arrived.

He leaned against the cool brick of the building, hoping his stance didn’t look too formulated to be casual. Honestly, he just didn’t want to stand the whole time he waited. 

Shownu showed up 5 minutes late, but Kihyun forgave him easily. “I had to get Princess settled,” he confessed as they headed inside. “I don’t think she wanted to be left alone.”

“Poor girl,” Kihyun sympathized.

The two took their seats and Kihyun couldn’t help but be giddy as Shownu smiled at him. They scooted in their chairs and took waters to start, although Kihyun already knew his order. He had no need to rush.

“So,” Shownu began as he skimmed through the menu, “is being a barista your dream job?” He had a little smirk. Shownu had heard Kihyun complain about his job on  _ many _ occasions.

“Oh, yes,” Kihyun nodded, “between the exhilarating conversations of the college students and the sweet smell of Supers’ sweat, I’m set for life.” They both chuckled.

“You don’t seem to be a big fan of Supers,” Shownu suggested, eyebrow raised. “Am I right?”

Kihyun reached up and tapped his own nose. “Righto.”

“Why not?” Shownu asked, reaching to take a long sip from his water.

In response, Kihyun shook his head. He had a  _ lot _ of strong opinions about Supers, and wasn’t sure this was the best setting to go rogue on an anti-Supers rant. 

“Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t go there,” he confessed. “I have a lot to say that most people don’t want to hear.”

He was surprised when Shownu leaned forward across the table. “I want to hear it.” His grin was a mix of playful and serious, like he was asking Kihyun for the biggest secret of the Second Grade on the playground. Kihyun couldn’t ignore  _ that. _

He sighed, “Alright, but I’ll summarize. I’d rather talk to the person I like about the things he likes than the things I dislike. Deal?”

Shownu blushed, just ever so slightly, and sat back into his chair. “Go right ahead.”

Kihyun put three fingers out before him, pulling on each, one at a time for emphasis.

“One, Supers assume they’re better than everyone else, when they’re just differently-abled. 

‘Two, non-Supers become dependent on the hope that a Super will come to the rescue.

‘Three, Supers could use their powers to actually progress our society through other professions, but they don’t, which is stupid.”

Shownu put his cup down loudly, which seemed to startle even him. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to slam that. I’m just curious to hear your reasonings.”

This time, Kihyun reached for his water, drinking it smugly. “I believe we made a deal.” He took another sip. “We can talk about it at our next date.”

Shownu shook his head with a smirk. “You got me. So what’s safe to talk about on  _ this  _ date?” he asked, playing along.

“Well, you could start by complimenting me and telling me how my eyes sparkle and asking what I want to actually do with my life.”

“Kihyun,” Shownu started, reaching for his hand, “I love the way your shirt brings out your eyes. They’re truly shimmering-”

“Sparkling,” Kihyun corrected him.

“Sparkling,” Shownu said with a grin. “What would someone as gorgeous as you like to  _ actually _ do with his life?”

“You didn’t have to call me gorgeous,” Kihyun beamed.

Shownu shrugged. “It felt right.”

_ It felt more than right _ , Kihyun thought. All he could do, though, was smile.

Thankfully, his awkward silence was saved by the waitress that took their order. And once his fettuccine alfredo was ordered, he’d gained his composure.

“I want to become a photographer,” he said with confidence. “I am one already. Kind of. But I want to be able to support myself with it.”

“You artsy little ass, that makes perfect sense!”

Kihyun barked out a laugh. “What does that mean?”

“It means you’re artsy as shit! You’ve always got your hair just so, and your shoes are nice and clean, and you’ve got a little tuck in the front of your shirt. You’re just so neatly composed, even when you’re in an apron with whipped cream all over the pockets!”

Kihyun  _ knew _ Minhyuk was right to suggest the French tuck.

“I’m not sure that makes me artsy,” he chuckled. “I think that just means I dress well.”

Shownu shrugged, “The two go hand-in-hand.”  _ Not really, but I’ll take it.  _ “Tell me about your photography.”

“Well, I currently submit pictures to the paper. My roommate, Minhyuk, delivers the paper and hooked me up. They occasionally hire me to photograph local events, too. Otherwise, I have a few displays every now and then. I think I’m on the verge of a breakthrough.”

“That’s fantastic, Kihyun! I’d love to see your next exhibit.” Shownu seemed genuinely interested; Kihyun felt a jump in his chest. 

“I’d love for you to see it,” Kihyun confessed, smiling. “So, what about you? I don’t know much about what you do, admittedly.” 

“Right now I walk dogs,” Shownu said with a shrug. “It’s not what I want to do forever, but it’s nice to get outside and see the city.”

“Do you take Princess with you?”

Shownu nodded, “Oh, yeah. She loves it. The other dogs love her.”

“That’s great,” Kihyun smiled. “I’d like to join you on a walk sometime. I absolutely  _ adore _ dogs, and Princess is easily my favorite.”

“She likes you too,” he smiled back. “That would be great.”

“Maybe that could be our next date?” Kihyun asked hopefully.

Before Shownu could answer, his phone buzzed on the table. He flipped the device to check the caller, his Ryan phone charm dangling as he did. 

"Sorry, I really have to take this." Shownu excused himself, stepping outside to take the call in private. 

Kihyun worked on his meal as he waited, thinking back through their conversation. Shownu seemed to legitimately care about what he had to say, and it felt like they were really connecting. He smiled to himself, taking another bite of his pasta.

And he kept working on his pasta, still waiting for Shownu to come back. This was a long conversation..

Finally, Shownu returned, seemingly flustered.

"Sorry, Kihyun," he said with a sigh, reaching into his wallet. "I have to go. I'll explain later." He placed some cash on the table and turned for the door.

Shownu left the restaurant so quickly that Kihyun didn't even have a chance to respond.

"Uh. Okay," he said to no one. That...was definitely not what he expected.

Kihyun reached across the table to pick up the cash. It was plenty to cover both tickets  _ and _ the tip. Which was, nice? He guessed? But he would have at least liked to have the cute back-and-forth about who'd pay, like most people do on their first few dates. 

Getting a free meal didn't  _ quite _ make up for being ditched, but at least he wasn't left to cover the check.

Kihyun signaled for the waitress, having lost his appetite. Nothing felt more pathetic than the idea of finishing his meal after having been walked out on. He thought their night was going so well, too.

The waitress collected the money and Kihyun caught an Uber home, not really wanting to walk back alone in the dark.  _ It would’ve been sweet if one of us walked the other home, _ he sighed.

When he returned home, Minhyuk was already in bed, door locked. He knew he'd get some sympathy from Jooheon, so he pulled out his phone and sent a text.

**So, I just got back from my date..**

**OMG how’d it go?**

**Did you make out?**

**Is he at your apartment?**

**No! He ditched me at the restaurant!**

**PARDON??**

**Yeah..**

**He got a phone call and said he had to go**

**Literally never talk to him again**

**Do you think he’ll come back in for coffee??**

**Idk, maybe**

**He said sorry and the date was nice before he left**

**But still..**

**Did he leave you sitting at the table?**

**He left me sitting at the table.**

**OFF WITH HIS HEAD**

**Lmaoo thanks, Joo**

**Ofc. you good Ki?**

**I’m good. Probably gonna edit some photos then go to bed**

**Nice, okay!**

**Have a nice day off tmrw!**

**Good luck with your shift! Night!**

**Goodnight~**

Really, he just needed to have someone agree he’d been wronged, and Jooheon did that for him. He was thankful for that.

Kihyun opened his laptop and began sorting through his shots until his eyes stung from staring at the bright screen. His method of self-distraction was only  _ so _ effective, though. Despite looking through hundreds of pictures, all he could see was Shownu’s back as he walked out of the restaurant.

\--

When Wednesday’s shift came, Kihyun wondered whether Shownu would stop by. When he finally came in, Kihyun made himself busy so he wouldn’t have to take Shownu’s order. He avoided eye contact with him, and just pouted into the cup as he made his  _ freaking _ Iced Americano. 

“Kihyun,” he piped up over the counter, “I’m so sorry. Something came up that I didn’t expect. How can I make it up to you?”

Kihyun was a bit skimpy on the crema this time, and he knew Shownu caught it. He looked up at his customer with a scowl, silently handing him his drink.

“Come on, Kihyun,” Shownu softly begged. “Please, let me make it right.”

He said it so sweetly, eyes hopeful and sincere. Kihyun was too weak to hold his frown.

“Take me on another date,” Kihyun replied, with a small grin breaking though his scowl.

Shownu’s face lit up. “When?” he asked with a smile.

“Tomorrow. Before my shift.”

“That’s perfect,” Shownu agreed. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

Kihyun’s grin widened. “Only if you bring Princess.”

“But of course,” he replied, matter-of-factly. 

Kihyun nodded, and turned to take the next person’s order. He saw Shownu breathe a sigh of relief before taking a seat.

As Kihyun prepared the next customer’s Irish Coffee, his ears caught the tune of the news coming from the television in the corner.

_ “This is Kim JungEun from GOM news, reporting live from the scene. I’m standing outside BlockBerry Pharmaceuticals, still recovering from the break-in Monday night. The company reports no indication of a security breach of their safety systems; however, camera surveillance reveals footage of the Villain known by the citizens of Newton as The Glitch.” _

Kihyun looked up as he finished the drink, catching the last bits of the black and white reel from the surveillance camera. He saw The Glitch shove what Kihyun assumed to be some kind of medication into a bag before he vanished from sight. An exasperated sigh left Kihyun’s body.

_ Great. Another Super taking advantage of non-Supers with their powers. How much money did BlockBerry lose from this? _ Kihyun was irate.

He delivered the coffee and passed Shownu on the way back to the counter. He shot him a nod aimed to the television. “Check it out,” was all he said. He didn’t want customers with differing opinions about Supers to hear more of what he had to say. Likely not great for business.

Shownu’s eyes shifted from his laptop to the t.v. as Kihyun turned back to the counter, watching the report continue as he walked.

_ “Witnesses confirm the appearance of Snow White, upcoming Super and vigilante, just a few blocks down, this time with the assistance of an owl. This hero summons animals, using their skills resourcefully to combat Villains. Citizens say, Monday, Snow White’s owl flew in from above The Glitch, securing the bag of BlockBerry’s products. The pharmaceutical company sends their thanks to Snow White. HaSeul?” _

The camera switched to another reporter with short brown hair, standing with who Kihyun assumed to be the CEO of BlockBerry Pharmaceuticals, giving their message of appreciation to Snow White. 

Kihyun rolled his eyes.  _ If The Glitch hadn’t abused his powers by breaking in, Snow White wouldn’t have been needed. _

He looked back down from the screen, intending to get a read on Shownu’s opinion of the report. But he was gone.

_ Huh. That was fast _ . He normally stayed until close, but Kihyun figured he must’ve slipped out. He ordered a small, after all. Maybe he’d only come in to apologize and give The Java Spot a bit of business. Wednesday afternoons were typically slow.

Kihyun pushed through the next few hours until he was allowed his break. He decided to step outside for a breather. The sun was just beginning to set. He wished he had his camera.

He walked a ways down the alley behind The Spot, hoping to get a better view. 

As he passed the dumpster, he noticed a black lump near the brick wall of the building. Assuming someone had been too lazy to throw a trash bag over the edge of the dumpster, Kihyun approached it.

It wasn’t a trash bag, though. It was a black duffel bag with a Ryan keychain on the zipper. It was Shownu’s.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fic I've been planning for a long time and I'm ecstatic to finally be posting the first chapter!! Thank you so much to Matthew and Barb for being my betas! I appreciate your feedback so, so much! Also, peep the little shout outs to some friends of mine<3
> 
> And, of course, thank you for reading<3


	2. Snow White

Kihyun looked in his mirror and smoothed back his hair one last time for good measure. He’d settled for a black t-shirt and jeans, because he was going on a  _ walk _ and because, when he called for Minhyuk’s assistance, he got an exasperated groan in return.

“Dress your own damn self, you-” and then his mumbling was indistinguishable with exhaustion. 

Kihyun checked his phone and realized he had to get going. He was trying to make a point by showing up early to meet Shownu, because he was petty like that.

He grabbed Shownu’s black duffel bag and settled it across his chest. All it had was a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, and  _ no _ , Kihyun didn’t intentionally dig through it. 

Matter-of-fact, it was slightly unzipped and the zipper  _ might _ have gotten tugged on something by  _ accident _ , and Kihyun had  _ eyes _ , so he really couldn’t help but look inside. But it wasn’t as exciting as he’d hoped, anyway.

When Kihyun approached the designated meeting place, he was slightly surprised to see Shownu already there, six leashes in hand. 

“Hey, uh, I have something of yours.” Kihyun shifted the bag around his torso and ducked out from under the strap.

Shownu’s eyes widened. “I was looking for that!” He fumbled with the leashes to free a hand and reach for his bag. “Where did you find it?”

“It was outside The Spot,” Kihyun shrugged. “I thought maybe you dropped it or forgot it. Do you want me to take a few dogs?”

“Oh!” Shownu gasped, “Yeah, that would be great.” He handed Kihyun the leashes of a golden retriever and a poodle. “These two don’t pull too hard.” Which was contrary to the whippet in Shownu’s left hand.

Kihyun took the leashes and smiled with gratitude. “Where to?”

Shownu gave a nod to the side and began walking in that direction, heading towards the heart of the city.

“Is this your usual route?” Kihyun asked.

“Nah, I switch it up. I like to check out different parts of Newton, and it gives the dogs new stimulation.”

Kihyun looked down to the dogs, who were excitedly sniffing around. Princess, though, was minding her own business, eyes ahead and leash slacked. “Princess is such a sweet girl,” he commented. “She’s always so well-behaved.”

He chuckled when Princess gave her nubby little tail a cheerful wag, as if to say, “Yes. I  _ am _ a Good Girl.” Shownu just shook his head.

“So, hey,” he began, clearing his throat, “I really can’t apologize enough for leaving you at the restaurant.”

“No, you really can’t,” Kihyun replied sternly. But his lips betrayed him, and a small smile surfaced.

“Something came up with my roommate and I couldn’t get out of it, I’m really sor-”

“Just don’t do it again, okay?”

Shownu gave a simple nod in response, and Kihyun redirected his attention forward. They were approaching the main strip.

As they came to a news stand, Princess stopped to sniff an apparently intriguing smell, which gave Shownu the opportunity to dig his wallet out of his pocket. “One paper, please,” he asked the worker with a grin.

Paper in hand, he turned to Kihyun. “Would you like to sit for a moment? We’re close to the dog park.”

“Sure,” he smiled.

Once the dogs were secured by the fence, and free from their leashes, Shownu and Kihyun found a shaded bench. Princess jumped onto the bench and into Kihyun’s lap, apparently uninterested in the freedom and excitement of the dog park. Kihyun gave her a nice ear scratch.

“You get the paper from your roommate, right?”

“Yeah, he brings it home sometimes. Not always.”

Shownu nodded in response and flipped open the  _ Newton Observer _ . At the bottom of the front page was an article entitled, “The Glitch’s Game: Making a Pharmaceutical Playground.”

“Great,” Kihyun grumbled. “When was that?”

“Last night. It says The Glitch suddenly ‘glitched’ into OEC Pharma and destroyed a shelf of some medication. Completely knocked over a bunch of vials.”

“Fantastic. Another Super wreaking havoc for, what, the thrill of it? This one just appears in random places and ruins medication, right? Is he  _ trying _ to target non-Supers that can’t regenerate and shit? And where were the supposed ‘Heroes’, anyway?” Kihyun was beginning to let his true colors shine, but it was probably better to get it out now, before anything became serious with Shownu.

Shownu scrunched his eyebrows together, seemingly offended. “Well,” he began, “firstly, not all Supers can regenerate. And, secondly, I doubt it’s random. The Glitch is  _ only _ appearing in pharmaceutical companies, which means they’re the target. We don’t know for certain that The Glitch is male, either, but they could be showing up in banks or grocery stores or something. Yet, they have this pattern.”

Kihyun sighed. He had a point. “Okay, so it’s not random. But  _ why pharmaceuticals? _ ” He drummed his fingers on his leg, thinking back to the televised news announcement covering the Monday break-in. “What kind of drugs were taken from BlockBerry?”

“Authorities aren’t sure. It was an unlabeled liquid.”

“ _ Someone _ knows,” Kihyun declared. “BlockBerry would  _ have _ to have it on record somewhere.”

Shownu nodded in agreement. 

“What was it this time?” Kihyun asked. “At OEC?”

Shownu skimmed the article for an answer. “Another set of vials.”

“So there we are,” Kihyun declared. “The pharmacies are probably working on some new medication and The Glitch is in cahoots with another pharmacy, maybe an up-and-coming branch, and wants to help them beat the other companies to the punch.”

Shownu sat back into the bench, mouth slightly parted in contemplation. “Do you really think that’s it?”

“Money is an incredibly motivating factor. And, like you pointed out, The Glitch is only going to pharmacies. And either takes or destroys some mystery liquid.”

“But what about..” Shownu trailed off.

“What about that Hero? The animal summoner?”

“Snow White?” Shownu asked.

“Yeah, that one. He made an appearance earlier this week and managed to get the bag of meds back for BlockBerry. What about last night? Where was he then?”

“He got there too late,” Shownu replied. “Everything had already been destroyed.”

“Damn. Our ‘Heroes’ really need to be better.”

“Yeah.” Shownu suddenly stood up, and turned to Kihyun with a smile. “Should we continue our walk?”

“Oh, sure,” Kihyun smiled back. 

After they gathered each of the dogs--which Shownu was surprisingly good at--they continued through the city. They walked silently for a while, doing their best to keep the dogs untangled. Eventually, Shownu piped back up.

“How do you think Supers could be better?”

_ Oof. _ That was a big question.

“For starters,” Kihyun began, “Villains could be less, ya know,  _ evil _ .”

“True,” Shownu chuckled. “What else?”

Kihyun became more serious. “I think Supers put too much pressure on themselves. They don’t have to be anything remarkable. They can just..exist. But differently.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we don’t need Heroes and Villains. I guess it’s kind of inevitable, but if Supers stopped trying so hard to be something powerful, we’d be better off. They could live with their different abilities in simplicity. And us ‘normies’ would continue on, powerless, but empowered.”

He looked to Shownu, who was looking ahead in silence, listening. 

Kihyun continued, “With the Hero-Villian dynamic, non-Supers have developed a mindset that they’re going to be saved. We’ve lost our sense of survival. Our will to fight. But if Supers lived like the rest of us, we could get that back.”

“So, suppress their powers?”

“No, just use them differently. And stop taking advantage of non-Supers.”

Shownu considered this for a moment, then finally said, “There’s always been good and bad people, Kihyun, and people with power want to feel powerful.”

\--

When Kihyun started his shift, his mind kept wandering to his and Shownu’s conversation about The Glitch. He wanted to know more. 

When did these break-ins begin? Has it  _ really _ only been pharmaceutical companies being targeted, or have there been other events before now? When did The Glitch surface? And Snow White?

“Shit!” Kihyun had burned his hand, over-pouring scalding coffee when he was lost in thought. He sighed to himself, shaking his burnt hand.  _ Focus, Kihyun. These Supers aren’t worth your time. _

But he couldn’t help but wonder,  _ What’s The Glitch really after? _

His shift at The Java Spot was long and dull. He ended up making bets with Jooheon as to whether each incoming customer would order a hot or iced drink. Thrilling stuff. 

Out of boredom, Kihyun grabbed a straw and tore off one end of the wrapper, then huffed a big breath of air into the straw, rocketing the paper into Jooheon’s cheek. The younger staff swatted the air pitifully. “Stoppp,” he whined.

“Jooheon, would you be a Super if you could?”

The blonde barista wiggled his eyebrows. “Who says I’m not?”

Kihyun just rolled his eyes.

“Actually,” Jooheon replied with a more serious and earnest tone, “I think it would be cool to become a Super but, like, by making yourself one? I’ve kinda been messing with some cool tech to see what I can do.”

Kihyun was shocked to hear this. He knew so little about his new coworker.

“Woah, really?”  _ That’s something I could get behind. _

“Yeah!” Jooheon beamed. “It’s just been me playing around, but I’m finally starting to make some progress.”

“What kind of stuff are you working on?”

Jooheon put a finger to his lips. “Shh, top secret,” he whispered playfully.

Kihyun leaned in and whispered back, “I love top secret.”

“Of course you do,” Jooheon chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s not a big deal. Just some communication and suspension systems. The beginnings of some clamps and wire reels for overhead inter-city travel. That kinda deal.”

“To swing between buildings and stuff?” Kihyun was impressed. He had no clue Jooheon was so inventive.

“Exactly,” Jooheon confirmed, with a boop to Kihyun’s nose. “But ask me any more questions and I’ll have to kill you.” He flashed Kihyun his brightest smile.

They continued to mess with each other for the rest of their shared shift, flicking whipped cream at each other and bitching about their late night. Thursdays were the shop’s deep cleaning day, and they had to check inventory during the process. It was tedious, but Kihyun was thankful Jooheon was there to help with the tasks, and to help pass the time.

Finally, their checklist was complete and it was time to bail out.

Jooheon unchained his bike and took off, hollering, “I’m free!” into the night. Friday and Saturday was his “weekend”, so he was ecstatic. Kihyun laughed and gave him a wave goodbye as he set off on his own journey home.

He liked to breathe in the late night air. There was still some hustling around in the city, but Kihyun was, for the most part, left alone. He enjoyed these peaceful walks home, when he could clear his mind and take in the city. Sometimes he found different alleyways to venture down, like this one now. He liked to consider different shots he could capture by camera, and what he’d like it to  _ say _ .

Tonight he was considering the most tactful way to capture works of graffiti in comparison to murals. Maybe by messing with the lighting to brighten up the graffitti and darken the murals? Switch up the connotations associated with the two? Kihyun wasn’t quite satisfied with it. He’d have to keep thinking.

Distracted, Kihyun bumped into someone standing along the brick wall of the alley.

“Sorry, man,” he apologized as he continued on.

“No, you’re not,” the voice replied, tainted with hostility.

_ What?  _ “Dude, I’m sorry, okay?” Kihyun said, turning back, “I didn’t see you.”

_ Shit. _

_ Now _ , Kihyun saw him. This fool, standing with a shitty home-made mask with uneven mesh eyeholes. Probably some new “Villian” that was really just a bully with horrible sewing skills.

“Oh, come on,” Kihyun groaned. “I didn’t mean to run into you, I was just distracted. I didn’t notice you standing there.”

The “Villain” cracked his knuckles. “I’m gonna  _ make _ you notice me.” He was huffing through his mask.That fabric definitely wasn’t breathable. 

_ He’s kidding, right? _

“Look, man,” Kihyun sighed, “I’m just trying to get home. Sorry to bump into you, but it’s really not that deep.” He turned away, continuing on towards home. 

Suddenly, though, the Villain appeared in front of him. And then he appeared again. And again. There were easily a dozen copies of this guy scattered in the alleyway; he was some kind of self-copycat.

Kihyun rolled his eyes. He was more annoyed than intimidated. “What’s it gonna take for me to get through?”

“Guess which one is the real me,” the symphony of copies echoed through the street, “and I’ll let you free.”

_ Nice rhyme. _

“Guess wrong,” the group continued, “and you have to give me your wallet to move along.”

_ Oooh, he tried. _

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” Kihyun remarked. “The whole multiple copies thing is  _ really _ impressive, and this is a fun little riddle. Very tricky.” Kihyun nodded in approval. “But you’ll be disheartened to hear that I’m a broke barista, and my wallet has cards that I’ll cancel right after this little game. So, really, you’ll get nothing from me either way.”

Each of the copies crossed their arms. “Guess!” they demanded.

Kihyun sighed and scratched the back of his head. “Okay, okay. Let me think.” He looked around, making it seem like he was trying to guess. In reality, he was searching for a point to break through the crowd and run. 

Kihyun was a pretty fast guy, considering he never ran for any kind of pleasure (who does that, anyway?), and this Villain was a bit stocky. He could probably outrun him.

_ There! _ A break in the cluster opened up. Kihyun readied himself to sprint.

Just as he was about to make a run for it, someone else appeared.  _ From the sky? _

Another masked person was being lowered to the street by a giant bird. Kihyun recognized the uniform as Snow White’s. It was  _ much _ more neatly made.

Kihyun probably should have felt some sort of relief. He was being saved, or whatever, right?

But he really just felt annoyed. “Thanks for your late arrival and all, Mr. White, but I’ve got this situation handled. You should probably be tracking down The Glitch, and not this weak copy-cat.” The clones made a sound of protest in union. “Not that it isn’t a super cool power,” Kihyun tried.

This Villain wasn’t having it, though, and his multiple copies started closing in on Kihyun. He readied himself, fists raised in defense, but Snow White and his bird started attacking the clones. For each one that wasn’t real, they’d vanish when attacked. Poof! Gone.

_ It could’ve been that easy? _ Kihyun was upset with himself for not considering that. He started punching at the many copies, watching them sizzle into the air like they were never there.  _ Where’s the real one? _

Finally, Snow White seemed to have found him. Kihyun heard the impact of his punch connecting with the true Villain’s gut. The fight wasn’t long; Snow White had muscle and scared away the Villain wannabe within seconds. It was pretty pathetic.

When the alley was finally clear, Kihyun straightened out his clothes and brushed himself off. Snow White’s bird had flown off, probably to track the Villain or return to its nest. Only Kihyun and Snow White remained.

“Look,” Kihyun huffed, “I appreciate you ‘saving me’ and all,” he said with air quotes, “but I really  _ did _ have it under control.”

Snow White just shook his head.

Kihyun nodded with exaggeration. “Actually,  _ yes _ , I did. I found a clearing and I was about to break through it right as you arrived and got in my way. Those clones were worthless and he was weak. I would’ve been fine without your help.”

The Hero before him turned and began to walk away. Kihyun wasn’t done talking. He quickened his pace to keep up with Snow White and called after him. “You don’t have to save everyone, you know. That’s not your job. I had it handled on my own. And if I didn’t?” Kihyun reached out and grabbed the sleeve of Snow White’s super suit. “Sometimes people just get hurt.”

The Hero stopped walking and shook his head. He turned to face Kihyun, and slowly pulled off his mask.

“Sometimes people  _ do _ get hurt,” Shownu agreed, “but I didn’t want you to be one of them.”


	3. Shift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience!!  
> I always say this (and mean it) but, no matter how long it takes, I will always come back.  
> Very committed to finishing this baby!!  
> Thanks for reading <3

“So, were you planning on telling me, or did you just feel the urge to rip off your mask last night?” Kihyun was speaking in a hushed voice, sitting across from Shownu in The Java Spot. He’d refused to explain anything to Kihyun, which was pretty annoying, given the sudden savior-like appearance of Snow White the night prior.

Shownu spoke in a barely-audible whisper. “I thought I might when the time was right.”

“And that was last night?” Kihyun asked, unconvinced.

Shownu shrugged and replied, “You were there and I took the chance.”

“How did you find me?”

Silence.

“Oh, come on,” Kihyun sighed. “Were you just flying around with that bird and saw me there? Did the street rats signal to you what was going down? I swear I heard a rat..”

“That’s not how it works,” Shownu said, shaking his head with a soft chuckle.

“But you can summon animals, right? Can you talk to them?”

Shownu just stared at him as if Kihyun were speaking another language. But Kihyun pressed on. “How did you figure it out?” And then, a spark. “Oh my gosh, you figured it out with your dog walking! You said something to the dogs and then they talked back! That’s why you’re so good at handling a dozen dogs. You would be a kickass veterinarian.”

Across the table, Shownu sighed deeply. “It’s not like that.”

“So, what’s it like?” Kihyun pressed on.

“I can’t tell you. It’s hard to explain and you wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

Kihyun rolled his eyes. “I literally work by a Supers gym. I see people fly and turn invisible and shoot fire out of their hands all the time. Try me.”

“Not here.” He said it calmly, but there was a pleading look in his eyes. The cafe was fairly empty, but Kihyun decided to back off. He could understand Shownu not wanting to broadcast his business in public. 

“Okay,” Kihyun surrendered, “but I have questions for later.”

“No guarantees. It’s a safety thing.”  _ Makes sense _ , Kihyun decided.

“Text me. I’ve got to clock back in.” Kihyun’s break had just ended. They both stood up and pushed in their chairs.

“I’ve got to get to work, too,” Shownu shared.

“Dog walking?”

“No,” Shownu replied with a wink.

\--

When Kihyun returned home, he allowed himself to process his conversation with Shownu a bit further. He honestly wasn’t all that shocked that Shownu was a Super; they were everywhere in this city. Though, he did picture Snow White to be older. Shownu wasn’t much older than himself. 

And he hid it really well. There was never any mention of his abilities and, though he looked relatively fit, Kihyun was fairly certain Shownu didn’t use a gym. At least, not the one near The Spot. He didn’t show any signs of being the newly surfaced vigilante.

Kihyun plopped himself down on the couch, rubix cube in hand, twisting at the colored squares without concern for where they’d land. He mumbled hello to Minhyuk, who was playing video games on the other end of the couch and was so focused that he just grunted in return to acknowledge his roommate’s presence.

Kihyun reflected that, for someone who wasn’t particularly fond of Supers, he’d asked Shownu a lot of questions. Although, since he was given the opportunity--and because this was someone Kihyun knew he liked, before knowing he was a Super--he might as well gather more information. If Shownu would give it to him, anyway. He could hardly wait for that text.

He wondered whether knowing Shownu’s status of being a Super would change how he felt about him. It hadn’t yet. Really, he was just annoyed that Shownu had swooped in to “save him” from that lame copy-paste Villain wannabe. But, he felt confident that Shownu would respect his independence moving forward, once they had the opportunity to talk about it.

What Kihyun really wanted to know was: how did Shownu get this power or realize he had it, how does his power work, and what else does he know about the recent events with The Glitch?

“Hey, Minhyuk,” he called.

“What,” he replied shortly, still focused on the game.

“I’ll wait.” Kihyun knew his roommate was nearly to a stopping point, so he began turning the faces of his rubix cube with more intention as he waited.

Finally, “Okay, what’s up?”

“Do you think Supers are really born with their powers, or do you think something happens to them and  _ then _ they get powers?”

Minhyuk sighed. They’d been through this before, but he knew to indulge Kihyun’s inquiries.

“There’s probably just some late bloomers and powers are developed at different times.”

“If you were a late bloomer and got a power tomorrow, what would you want it to be?” That was one he hadn’t asked before. But he was curious what Minhyuk would come up with.

“It’d be tight to read minds,” Minhyuk replied. 

“That’s lame,” Kihyun grumbled. 

“Uh, no? I could know what everyone’s thinking.”

“And then what, get a headache? That’s too many thoughts at once. What would you do with it, anyway?”

“With mind reading? What do you mean? I’d know literally everything.”

“Knowing what people are thinking doesn’t mean you’d know everything,” Kihyun chided him.

Minhyuk rolled his eyes. “Can I get back to my game now?”

Kihyun’s text tone dinged and he looked down to see Shownu’s name.  _ Finally. _

“Yeah, go ahead.” He dropped his cube into his lap and picked up his phone.

**Are you free?**

**I am..**

**Finally going to tell me?**

**Yeah, can you come over?**

**Please don’t say specifics over text**

**Sure. Where should I go?**

Shownu sent him the address, and Kihyun’s heart rate sped up.  _ Be cool, Kihyun, _ he thought to himself.  _ This isn’t a big deal. He just wants to talk in private to protect his identity. _

Still, though.. “Min, do I look okay?” He was wearing plain black skinny jeans and a heather grey sweater. 

“You look artistically depressed, as usual,” his roommate replied without even glancing at him.

_ Sounds right.  _

“Gradients of grey are metaphorically resonant to my soul,” Kihyun retorted dramatically. “I’m going out; don’t stay up for me.”

“I usually don’t,” Minhyuk chuckled. Kihyun wouldn’t either if he had an early schedule like his.

He went to his room, rummaged around, and found a small notebook. He grabbed that and an ultrafine Sharpie, knowing he’d want to scribble some notes to refer back to their conversation.

When Kihyun finally arrived to Shownu’s apartment, it pretty accurately fit the image he’d had in his head as Shownu’s dwelling place. There were very few decorations on the walls, except for a few pictures of what Kihyun assumed to be his family, placed in simple frames. The windows were blocked by curtains that were a deep maroon. 

In one room was a collection of exercise equipment: a set of weights, a rowing machine, some leg-related contraption (a leg press, maybe? Kihyun wasn’t sure), and a pile of elastic bands--the type with different levels of resistance. Made sense for a Super in hiding to have a way to stay fit in the privacy of his own home.

As part of the tour, he noticed that there was another bedroom in the apartment. He hadn’t known that Shownu had a roommate and wondered whether they knew Shownu’s secret. The roommate didn’t seem to be home, though, so perhaps they didn’t know.

“Well, that’s the walk-through,” Shownu stated. “I appreciate you coming. I get pretty nervous talking about my life in public. You never know who someone really is.”

“What about me?” Kihyun asked, taking a seat on the couch.

“You?” Shownu asked with a laugh. “You’re pretty clearly anti-Super. That, or you’re a great actor, but I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Acting was never my forte,” Kihyun confessed. “You seem to be pretty good at it, though, considering.” He gave a pointed look.

Shownu shrugged in response. “I just don’t say much, and then I don’t have to say a lie.”

“You’re one of those lawful goods, aren’t you?”

“I’m not sure what that means,” Shownu started, “but I try to do good, and I follow the law.”

“Spoken like a true lawful good,” Kihyun smiled. “I’m more of a chaotic good.”

Shownu crossed his arms in the chair across from him. “You  _ do _ seem more chaotic than me.”

“Thank you,” Kihyun said smugly, crossing his legs and pulling out his notebook. “So, when did you realize you had powers?”

“Well,” Shownu started, directing his eyes to the notebook, as if hoping to draw his answer from its pages, “I’ve known since I was a little kid. Something happened and I just started to piece it together.”

As he spoke, Princess emerged from the roommate’s room and joined Shownu on the couch, curling up next to him.

“Do you have family members that are Supers, too?” Kihyun knew that non-Supers could have children with powers, but that it was more common to have a family of Supers. 

“Just me.”  _ Not a man of many words, huh?  _ Kihyun thought.

“What about your friends? Do you have other Supers in your life?”

Shownu reached over and gave Princess a good ear scratch. “It feels like I’m being interviewed,” Shonwu laughed, eyeing the notebook in Kihyun’s hands. He'd barely written it it, but he’d been playing with the clip on the Sharpie's cap. “Yeah, I know other Supers. There’s one I’m pretty good friends with.”

Kihyun consciously put the marker down. “Sorry, I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t want to forget anything important.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Shownu shrugged. “Just keep it somewhere safe if you write down any details.”

Kihyun nodded and continued on. “So, is there an underground community you’re a part of? Do you get a certain feeling when you’re encountering another Super? Or how did you two become friends?”

Shownu cracked a big grin at this. “Kihyun, I’m not part of some secret society. I’m sure there are people with powers that get together and hang out or whatever, but I don’t have a tingly feeling or anything like that when I’m around a Super. That’d be pretty convenient, though.”

Kihyun felt himself blush a bit. He hated to admit it, but he’d really let his imagination fill in the blanks for his world view on the domain of Supers. “Er, right,” Kihyun stammered. “So, how did you and your friend meet?”

“Hmm,” he began, scratching under Princess’s chin, “let’s say I could see how our powers might work well together and that it strengthened our friendship. But we already knew each other from childhood.”

“You’re being incredibly vague and I’m not sure if I should be annoyed or impressed.”

“Let me know when you decide,” Shownu joked. 

“I just get the sense you don’t want me to know more than the basics.” Kihyun could admit that he was frustrated. He'd come here to learn more information and had gotten the impression that he was trustworthy in Shownu's eyes.

Shownu glanced down to his bulldog, appearing to consider whether that was true. Princess gave a little tail wag that Kihyun registered as a sign of encouragement.

“Okay,” Shownu declared, more to Princess than to Kihyun. He looked up into Kihyun’s eyes. “We’ve talked about it and we’re going to tell you.”

Kihyun’s eyes flickered back and forth between Shownu and Princess, assuming that’s what he’d meant by “we”.

“Did you just do the thing? Did you communicate with Princess just now? So, it’s a telepathic animal communication, right?”

“Kihyun, stop.”

Kihyun’s eyes widened, confused and slightly afraid. Something peculiar had happened.

“Shownu,” Kihyun whispered, “you’re not going to believe me. But I just heard your dog speak. Actual words. And I think Princess is a boy.”

The apartment was filled with laughter, and it came from two sources. Kihyun wasn’t one of them.

“Kihyun,” Shownu said through a chuckle, “Princess is my friend. My Hero friend. He’s a shapeshifter.”

Kihyun just blinked, processing.

Princess spoke again. “You can call me Shift, if you want. It’s kind of a lame name, but it’s easy to remember.”

“So you,” Kihyun said, pointing at Princess, “are a person.”

“Well, I’m currently a dog,” drawled the deep voice of Shift. “But, yeah, my natural form is as a human.”

“What else can you be?”

Shift transformed right before him. The French bulldog known as Princess grew taller, and a beak extended from her face. Feathers sprouted from fur, as wings extended from her body and Shift became a giant bird.

“Look familiar?” Shift asked, cocking his brown feathered head to the side. This was the bird that had dropped off Snow White that night in the alley. Kihyun nodded. “Yeah,” Shift continued, “I like taking form as an osprey. Their strength and sight are incredible.”

“That’s amazing!” Kihyun declared. “Can you transform into whatever animal you like?”

“Not quite,” Shift confessed.

“He’s got to practice to get it right,” Shownu filled in. “He does research on animals to discover their strengths and weaknesses, along with some behavior and habitat-related things.”

“I don’t want to appear out of place in the city,” Shift supplied.

“Right. But after that, some trial and error, with some wild mutations--” the two of them started laughing.

“Do you remember my first shot at a snake?” 

“That was so bad,” Shownu agreed, laughter growing from his belly. “You had gills!”

“I realized that when I couldn’t breathe! Scariest eight seconds of my life.”

Kihyun joined in with a chuckle. “How did you end up with gills as a snake?”

“In my defense, I’d just nailed my eel transformation. Shapeshifting is tricky stuff.”

Kihyun had no means of comparison, but was sure that was true.

“So, wait. If  _ you’re _ the different animals,” Kihyun stated, looking at Shift, “then Shownu doesn’t talk to animals?”

“Right,” Shownu replied with a nod, while Shift transformed back into Princess. “That’s a common misconception by the public and local Villains in our favor. They don’t know how we really operate, which means they don’t know there’s two of us.”

Kihyun nodded in understanding. “Okay, I can see the advantage. So, what do  _ you _ do?”

“I can see what’s going to happen before it happens.”

“Precognition,” Shift supplied.

“I see an image with places and people and, if it’s something that needs to be dealt with, that’s when we go together. I can generally feel  _ when _ it’s going to happen, but I can’t always recognize who or where I’m seeing.”

“How do you figure it out?” Kihyun asked. He hadn’t realized there were so many imperfections of being a Super.

“Well, that’s what I do when I come to The Java Spot. I figure it out.”

Kihyun had always wondered what someone could spend so many hours working on.

“We have real jobs,” Shift explained, “because, ya know, rent and food and what not. But we train with our jobs and use our spare time wisely.”

“Shift is a zookeeper, which allows him to observe animals and learn more about them. He also sometimes practices shifting there, out of the cameras’ view.”

“And Shownu walks dogs to become familiar with the areas in this city and their specific landmarks. When he goes to The Spot, he’ll go through maps and public archives of the city. That way, when he has a vision, he’s more likely to know where it is. Which is where you come in.”

“What?” They’d lost him. “I’m confused.”

“Kihyun,” Shownu began, “we’d like you to join our team.”

“And do what, exactly? I’m not a Super.”

“When has that stopped you before?” Shownu was earnest. “Aren’t you sort of an advocate for the capability of non-Supers?”

Kihyun shrugged. He supposed that was true.

Shift cut in before he could reply. “We want to use your photography and knowledge of the city to help us locate the places in Shownu’s visions. You’re already going around and checking out different corners of the city. We’d just want to study the photos and know the cross-streets.”

Kihyun sat back in his seat. He hadn’t foreseen this, obviously, but he was considering it. It wouldn’t be that different than what he was already doing; if anything, it would keep him accountable in his photography. Plus, it would give him an excuse to see Shownu more often. And, honestly, these two seemed like more of an imperfect duo than Kihyun had imagined. They could probably use the help.

“Alright,” Kihyun decided. “I’m in. On one condition."

Before him, Shift's ears perked in curiosity. Shownu raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's that?"

"Don't save me. I can handle myself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses on who Shift is? hehe
> 
> Also, idk why, but using "Shownu" vs "Hyunwoo" just felt right for this fic? Sorry if that's weird for anyone!


End file.
